The burgeoning aerospace industry at Benedum Airport was given another boost Thursday when the governor announced a pre-employment training program that will teach residents the skills necessary to work at one of the five aerospace companies located there.

"This is something we identified in 1988 that we knew we would need," said Jim Skidmore, the executive director of the Mid-Atlantic Aerospace Complex. "You could date this thing to 10, 11 years ago."

MAAC, which is a private organization that includes the five aerospace companies, worked with the state and Fairmont College's aerospace education center, which is located at the airport, over the last year to 18 months to create the pilot program.

"The governor's office picked up the ball and ran with it and scored a touchdown," Skidmore said.

MAAC and the state will split the cost of setting up the program and students will pay tuition, although organizers are uncertain of the cost. Employees from MAAC companies will teach the classes. The training will be structured to meet the employment needs of the companies.

Students will take classes at the Fairmont State facility, most likely starting January, although organizers were uncertain how long it would take to complete. There will be three levels of classes. The first level teaches students about the aerospace companies, focuses on communications and writing, and offers basic math and computer literacy. The second level offers more precise training, such as blueprint reading and precision measurement, while students will tour MAAC plants.

The third level offers students mentorships and apprenticeships. Students who complete all three levels will be guaranteed at least one interview with a MAAC company.

"Having a pool of available workers in the region should make it easier to market the 45 acres of development land about to open up with the completion of a runway extension at Benedum," Skidmore said.

"It is uncommon for a perspective company not to ask 'What about the workforce," he said. "They are delighted to know this is going to be here. It is a real tool in our bag."

This program will ensure that the state's growing aerospace companies will have a quality, technology driven workforce ready and available as new projects develop," Gov. Cecil Underwood said in a statement.

Once the training begins, the training will be the "quickest, surest path" to a job at a MAAC company, which includes Pratt & Whitney, Aurora Flight Sciences of West Virginia, Bombardier Aerospace, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman.